Steering wheel



Sept 24, 1940. WALKER STEERING WHEEL Filed Oct. 20, 1958 INVENTOR mam M; WALKER BY em-m waaw A TTORNE Y8.

Patented Sept. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES STEERING WHEEL Floyd M. Walker, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application October 20, 1938, Serial No. 235,930

2 Claims. (Cl. 74-552) This invention relates to improved hand wheels and mountings therefor.

More particularly, the invention pertains to steering wheels and steering wheel mountings and the like for motor vehicles.

The principal object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved steering wheel including a substantially hollow rim portion comprising reinforced convenable portions of plastic material of light and inexpensive construction which presents a pleasing appearance to the eye as well as feeling warm to the hand of the vehicle operator at all times.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an improved steering wheel of this kind which includes an all-plastic molded horn switch control ring by which the beauty of the steering Wheel is enhanced and which does not require a complicated metal core or reinforcing member; and to provide an improved means for mounting a horn control ring of this kind by which the ring is securely mounted directly on the hub portion of the steering wheel.

Additional objects of the invention are to provicle in a steering wheel of this kind a horn control switch having its electrical contacts yieldingly urged apart by a non-conducting resilient member; and to provide a non-conducting resilient member for a horn ring equipped steering wheel which not only urges one of a pair of electrical contacts away from the other and electrically insulates these contacts from each other, but also urges the horn switch control ring away from the spokes of the steering wheel into a locking 5 recess to prevent unintentional disengagement of the horn ring from the steering wheel.

Further objects of the invention are to provide in a mounting for a steering wheel a bell-shaped shroud carried by the steering column jacket of the vehicle, which shroud is adapted to enshroud .50 tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a steering wheel and mounting embodying the invention, a portion of the rim being broken away to show certain details 55 thereof. j i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the broken away portion of the steering wheel rim shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken approximately as indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. 10

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the improved steering Wheel and mounting, generally designated by the numerals l0 and 15 l I respectively, is but one type generally used for motor vehicles and other types of mountings, steering wheels, hand wheels and the like may be used if desired.

The improved steering wheel mounting Ii comprises a stationary steering column jacket l2 which has a journal member 13 which rotatably supports a tubular shaft 84 for actuating the steering mechanism (not shown) of a motor vehicle in a manner well-known to those familiar 25 with the art. The shaft It has longitudinally extending tapered splines l5 and a reduced threaded end portion 16 for drivingly connecting the steering wheel Ill to the shaft M. Fixed to the end of the jacket i2 is a bell-shaped shroud member I! which is adapted to enshroud a portion of the hub of the steering wheel as well as the fastened end of theshaft l 4.

The steering Wheel It comprises a dish-like hub portion 20 which opens away from the end of the 35 shaft M, a substantially hollow peripheral rim portion 2| and a plurality of radially extending spokes 22 for interconnecting the hub portion 29 and the rim portion 2|. The hub portion 20 has an overlapping outer portion 23 and includes a splined central portion M which engages the splines l5 of the shaft i l to hold the hub portion 20 centrally on the shaft I l and to provide a clearance 25 between the shroud member ill and the overlapping portion 23 of the hub portion 20 to permit relative rotation therebetween. A nut 26 threadedly engages the threaded reduced end portion l6 of the shaft It to hold the hub portion 20 at the desired axial position on the shaft 14. Each of the spokes 22 is composed of a group of five wires 21 disposed in fan-shape self-supporting arrangement. The rim portion 2| preferably includes a reinforcing core ring 28 having flattened portions 28' to which the spokes 21 are suitably secured as by welding (best shown in Fig. 2).

The rim portion 2| further includes a pair of convenable ring-like portions 29 and 3|] of moldable plastic material. Each of the convenable portions 29 and 30 has a plurality of aligned circumferentially spaced web portions 3| provided with semi-cylindrical openings 32 to clampingly receive the core ring 28. Formed on the convenable portions 29 and 36 are also radially inwardly extending spoke receiving portions 33 provided with inner web portions 34 to receive the spokes 2'! between the mating faces of the convenable portions and to provide a rigid structure. Any suitable means, such as cement, may be employed to unite the convenable portions 29 and 30 of the rim portion 2|.

The convenable portions 29 and 36 may be made of any suitable plastic material that will give the desired properties of strength, lasting color and the like. It has been found desirable to mold the plastic material for the convenable portions by the injection process, although other processes may be employed. It Will be noted that the rim portion 2| is substantially hollow and presents, by reason of the low heat-conducting property of plastic material, an improved steering wheel rim that feels warm at all times to the hand of the vehicle operator even under low temperature conditions. Furthermore the steering wheel is light and inexpensive by reason of the fact that the rim portion 2| is substantially hollow and does not require as much plastic material as a solid rim portion would.

Disposed within the open portion of the hub portion 25 is a dish-like electrical contact element 4| which is electrically grounded to the vehicle and supported on the upper face of the hub portion 26 and has a central aperture 42 through which extends a lead 43. The lead 43 is housed within the shaft l4 and is electrically connected to the vehicle horn (not shown). Directly above the contact element 4| is a disc-like electrical contact element 44 which has electrically connected thereto the lead 45. Disposed between the contact elements 4| and 44 is an annular member 45 of a suitable non-conducting resilient material, such as sponge rubber, which both yieldingly urges the upper contacting element from the lower one and electrically insulates the contact elements from each other. When the periphery of the upper contact element 44 is moved downwardly into contact with the contact element 4 i, an elec trical circuit is closed which operates the vehicle horn in a well-known manner.

A suitable horn control such as the one indicated by the numeral 56 may be mounted on the steering wheel If] to electrically close the contacts 4| and 44 to blow the vehicle horn. The horn control 50 comprises an all-plastic molded horn switch control ring 5| which includes a dish-like hub portion 52 and a rim portion 53 interconnected by radially extending spokes 54. The horn ring hub portion 52 acts as a housing for the contact elements 4| and 44 and for the upper portion of the steering wheel hub portion 29. Formed on the inner portion of the horn hub portion 52 is an annular shoulder 55 which bears against the upper contact element 44. On the lip of the horn hub portion 52 is' an annular external recess 56 and a plurality of spoke-receiving recesses 5'1 each of which is so constructed and arranged as to slidably receive therein one of the groups of steering wheel spokes 22 to permit axial movement of the horn ring relative to the steering wheel. Formed on the annular shoulder 56 of thehorn hub-portion 52 are three circumferential slots 58 which open at one end with one of the recesses 51. An annular retaining member 59, preferably formed of the same moldable plastic material as the steering wheel rim portion 2|, has an annular internal recess 60 which receives the shoulder 56 of the horn hub portion 52. The retaining member 59 also has recesses 6| which register with the spoke-receiving recesses 51 of the horn hub portion 52. Formed on the annular recess 66 of the retaining member 59 are three circumferentially extending lugs 62 which register at one end with one of the recesses 6|.

In assembling the horn hub portion 52 on the steering wheel ill, the former is pressed downwardly with even pressure against the action of the yieldable member 45 so that the groups of steering wheel spokes 22 are completely within the recesses 51 of the horn hub member 52, and then the retaining member 59 is seated over the shoulder 56 with the lugs 62 adjacent the recesses 51, and then the retaining member is rotated about its axis until the lugs 62 lockingly engage the recesses 58. The lugs 62 and the recesses. 58 function as bayonet type locking portions and detachably secure the horn control ring 5| directly to the hub portion 20 of the steering wheel I in a simple and inexpensive manner. The yieldable member 45 then urges the horn hub portion 52 upwardly and the spoke members 21 thereby engage the side faces of the recesses 6| of the retaining member 59 to prevent unintentional disengagement of the bayonet type locking portions when the ring is tilted about the yieldable member 45 to move the contact element 44 into engagement with the lower contact element 4|.

To disengage the horn hub portion 52 from the retaining member 59, the former is pressed axially against the yieldable member until the steering wheel spokes 21 leave the recesses 6| of the retaining member, and then the retaining member is rotated about its axis to disengage the bayonet type looking portions.

The improved steering wheel and mounting efiects a light and inexpensive construction which presents a pleasing appearance to the eye as well as a warm feeling to the hand of the vehicle operator. The horn ring 5| does not require a complicated metallic core or reinforcing member and. can be quickly attached and detached from the steering wheel assembly for inspection.

The novel yieldable member 45 not only yieldingly urges one of the contact elements 44 and the horn ring 5| away from the contact element 4| and electrically insulates the contacts 4| and 44 from each other, but also urges 'the horn ring 5| axially upwardly to move the steering wheel spokes 27 into suitable locking recesses 6| to prevent unintentional disengagement of the horn ring 5| from the steering wheel I0.

The bell-shaped shroud member I! is particularly novel in that it is carried by the steering column jacket |2 instead of by the steering wheel l6, and can be handled in the same manner as the steering column rather than requiring an expensive and elaborate finish to match the steering wheel.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that Various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a steering wheel and support assembly for a vehicle, a stationary steering column jacket, a shaft journalled within said jacket; a hand wheel comprising a hub portion non-rotatably secured to said shaft, a rim portion, means for interconnecting said hub and rim portions, and a shroud member fixed to the end of said jacket adjacent said hub portion and enshrouding one face of said hub portion and also the end of said shaft.

2. In a steering wheel and support assembly for a vehicle, a stationary steering column jacket, a shaft journaled within said jacket, a hand wheel including a hub portion non-rotatably secured to said shaft, a shroud member fixed to the end of said jacket adjacent said hub portion and enshro-uding one face thereof, a horn ring structure carried by said hub portion and having a shroud portion for enshrouding the upper portion of said shroud member.

FLOYD M. WALKER. 

